Rotary engine.



F. P. HARMON. ROTARY ENGINE.

' APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 5, 1911. 1,023,468. Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Z SHEETSSHEET 1.

NW mm f W m H ww Q 5 Z i? 5 7 o a O m J iv o COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co ASHINUTON n c FRANK P. HARMON, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. HARMON, citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to new and useful improvements in rotary engines.

The object of the invention is to provide an engine comprising a casing having a concentric piston head mounted therein and including a particular form of gates.

Another object lies in the construction of the casing which includes, an annular chan nel member surrounding the piston head, side plates between which the piston head is closely mounted, and means for forcing the side plates into close engagement with the piston head whereby steam tight joints are provided.

Another object is the provision of a valve mechanism operating in conjunction with the piston head and gates; also the provision of a particular form of packing for the gates.

A further object is the provision of an engine that will be strong, durable, efficient and simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct, also one in which the several parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine, Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the valve casing, Fig. 6 is a front view of the valve with a portion in section, and Fig. 7 is a detail of the valve, a portion being in side elevation and a portion in section.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a casing or cylinder comprising side plates 2 between which an annular spacing member 3 is disposed. At each edge the memben has outwardly directed flanges 4, the peripheries of which are substantially flush with those of the side plates. Screw bolts 5 are employed to fasten the plates to the flanges.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Serial No. 642,440.

The inner periphery of the member 3 is ground smooth. The inner surfaces of the side plates are also ground smooth.

Within the cylinder a piston 6 is mounted in concentric relation to the spacing member and secured on a transverse shaft 7 extending through the side plates. The piston has a plurality of wings 8, the outer ends of which bear against the inner periphery of the member 3, steam tight joints being obtained by transverse packings 9 fitted in the outer ends of the wings and bearing against said periphery. The sides of the piston as well as the curved surfaces of the wings are ground smooth.

Each side plate has an outwardly directed boss 10 surrounding the shaft and forming a bearing for the same. Adjacent each boss the shaft is threaded to receive locking nuts 11. Between these nuts and the bosses collars 12 embrace the shaft. These collars are notched out to receive pins 14 projecting from the shaft as shown in Fig. 4. By tightening the nuts 11 against the collars the latter will force the side plates inward against the piston. The contacting surfaces of the said plates and the piston being ground it is apparent that a steam tight joint will be had therebetween. The pins 14 act to hold the collars against rotation, the parts thus being retained in position.

After the member 3 is ground to fit the piston it is cut into two semi-circular sections and enough material between the ad jacent transverse edges is removed to provide spaces for snugly fitting radial gates 15. At these points the sections of the member are provided with bosses 16 and 17 be tween which the gates slid-e. At each end of the spaces between the bosses radial pockets 18 are provided on the side plates. These pockets extend inward to a point slightly beyond the limit of the inward stroke of the gates and receive coil springs 19 with which the gates cont-act as they approach the end of their inward movement. The piston being revolved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, it is obvious that the gates will be gradually forced outward. For forcing the gates inward and holding them in close contact with the curved surfaces of the wings 8 coil springs 20 are provided. These springs encircle rods 21 extending outward from the pockets 18 and bear against lugs 22 projecting laterally from each side of the gates. At the outer ends of the rods nuts 23 are mounted and bear against the springs 20. By adjusting the nuts 23 the tension of the springs 20 may be varied. As the gates are moved outward by the rotation of the piston the springs 20 are compressed. IVhen the outer ends of the wings ride from under the gates said springs will immediately force the gates inward to the surface of the next wing. If the springs 19 before referred to were not provided there would be considerable ar at the end of the inward movement of the gates, but said springs 19 being in the path of the gates act as cushions.

In the bosses 16 inlet ports 24 are provided; while exhaust ports 25 extend through the bosses 17. It is to be understood that at each gate there is a boss 16 on one side and a boss 17 on the other side and the boss 16 on one side of the cylinder is directly opposite the boss 17 on the other side of the cylinder. In this way fluid under pressure is admitted on one side of each gate and exhausted on the other side. hen the gates are extending into the cylinder they divide the space not occupied by the piston into upper and lower chambers. By observing Fig. 3 it will be noted that the fluid may be admitted above one gate and below the other.

The inner edges of the gates are ground smooth to fit tightly against the curved surfaces of the wings and prevent the passage of fluid therebetween. As shown in Fig. 3 triangular packing 26 is disposed in the bosses 16 and 17 so as to have one flat side in contact with the sides of the gates. For forcing this packing into engagement with the gates followers 27 are provided. Each follower rests at its outer end on a stud 28 projecting from the boss and has its inner end bent down and engaging the packing. Through the follower between its ends a set screw 29 is passed and threaded into the boss. By tightening the set screws the followers are rocked on the studs and their inner ends moved inward thus forcing the packings into close contact with the gates.

The piston revolving in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, it is obvious that fluid admitted between gates and the ends of the wings may be permitted to expand and the supply may be cut off after the wings have traveled a certain distance under the gates.

For controlling the supply of fluid a valve 30 is mounted in a casing 31 secured on one of the side plates 2. This valve is tapered and ground to fit the casing. Intersecting ports 32 extending through the valve radially are positioned to register with passages 38 and 34 extending through the casing atright angles to each other. Fluid supply pipes 35 are connected with the passages 33; while connection pipes 36 lead from the passages 34: to the inlet ports 24 of the cylinder.

hen the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 6, fluid will pass through the valve and by way of the pipes 36 to the cylinder, but when said valve is moved to throw the ports out of registration with the passages the supply of fluid to the cylinder is cut off. The fluid which has been supplied to the cylinder is given an opportunity to expand while the supply through the valve is cut oil.

The valve is rotated so that the supply of fluid is established and out off at regular intervals. The valve has an outwardly extending stem 37 projecting through the casing 31. A pinion 38 is mounted on the stem and meshes with a pinion 39 mounted on the shaft 7. The shaft 7 is shouldered to receive the pinion 39, the latter being notched to fit over a pin 40 projecting from the shaft and whereby the said pinion is held against rotation independently of the shaft. A nut- 41 is threaded on the shaft against the pinion 39 to hold the same in place. As the shaft 7 is revolved motion will be imparted to the pinions and thus to the valve which will rotate and govern the supply of fluid to the cylinder. The valve is adjusted with relation to the posit-ion of the wings with relation to the gates. The relative position of the parts may be changed by loosening the nut 11, withdrawing the pinion 39 from over the pin 40 so as to disengage the pinions. The valve may then be adjusted as clesired and the parts rengaged.

What I claim, is:

1. In a rotary engine, a cylinder comprising side plates having their inner surfaces ground smooth, a flanged spacing member secured between the side plates having its inner periphery ground smooth, a piston provided with wings and fitting in the cylinder, the piston having its sides ground smooth and in close contact wit-h the inner surfaces of the side plates, a shaft extending through casing and on which the piston is fixed, and clamping members secured on the shaft and bearing against the outer sides of the side plates whereby the latter may be compressed.

2. In a rotary engine, a cylinder comprising side plates and a flanged spacing member secured between the side plates, a shaft extending through the side plates of the cylinder, a piston mounted on the shaft, gates operating in the cylinder, collars mounted on the shaft and held against rotation independently thereof, said collars impinging the side plates on the outside of the cylinder, and lock nuts threaded on the shaft and bearing against the collars.

3. In a rotary engine, side plates, a flanged sectional spacing member secured between the side plates, bosses provided at the adjacent edges of the sections of the spacing member and spaced apart, pockets provided in the side plates coincident with the spaces between the bosses, coil springs disposed in the pockets, radial gates operating in the spaces between the bosses and engaging in the pockets, the coil springs being located in the path of the gates, other coil springs mounted on the side plates and bearing inward against the gates, a transverse shaft extending through the side plates, a piston fixed on the shaft between the side plates and within the spacing member, curved wings projecting from the piston in the path of the gates, and devices secured on the shaft arranged to force the side plates into close contact with the sides of the piston.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having opposed peripheral bosses, and a winged piston mounted in the cylinder, of spring pressed radial gates slidable between the bosses of the cylinder and arranged to engage the piston, packings disposed in the bosses of the cylinder and contact-ing with the sides of the gates, and rockable followers mounted on said bosses and their inner ends turned down in engagement with the packings.

5. Ina rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, a transverse shaft mounted in the cylinder, and a winged piston within the cylinder fixed on the shaft, of spring pressed radial gates slidable into the cylinder and mounted in opposed relation, a valve mechanism for supplying fluid under pressure simultaneously below one and above the other comprising, a Valve casing having passages, supply pipes connected to some of said passages, connect-ion pipes leading from the other passages to said cylinder, a valve mounted in the valve casing provided with intersecting ports disposed to register with the passages of the valve casing, and an operating connection between the piston shaft and the valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK P. HARMON.

lVitnesses:

JACK A. ScHLnY, LILAN SoHLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

